


Nightmare Curse

by Donts



Series: Donts' Whumptober2020 writings [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Curses (the magical kind), Execution, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I need more merlin and the knights friendship so I wrote it myself lmao, It's not real tho, Magic Reveal, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Nightmares, Whumptober 2020, attempted comfort at least, good ending, merlin whump, no beta we die like men, no one dies, pyre, there is a brief description of being on the pyre but it's not very graphic, this is a mix of like 4 (four) different prompts, um
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27028411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donts/pseuds/Donts
Summary: Merlin has been hit with a nightmare curse, confronting him with his worst fear. Will he be able to snap out of it?For Whumptober
Relationships: Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Donts' Whumptober2020 writings [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952098
Comments: 6
Kudos: 260
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Nightmare Curse

**Author's Note:**

> This is a mix of prompts to help me catch up lol
> 
> Days 6, 7, 11, and 14  
> Prompts I used:  
> "stop please" | support | struggling | crying | fire

"Stop! Please!" Merlin screamed, thrashing on the cot.

Gaius put another cool rag on his head, attempting to soothe him.

"What's happening to him?" Arthur asked worriedly.

Merlin had thrown himself in front of a curse shot at Arthur and immediately began thrashing and shouting.

Gwen was out getting herbs for him, being the only one who could recognize them among the group.

All the knights of the round table were crammed into Gaius' workspace, worried for their friend.

"From my guess, I assume it's a very strong nightmare spell," Gaius spoke while brushing back Merlin's hair.

"What does it do?" Lancelot asked, wincing as another pained sob came from Merlin.

"It's most likely showing his greatest fears to him. It will feel as though the events are actually happening, so he's feeling everything too," Gaius explained with a grim expression.

"Stop! I'm sorry!" Merlin thrashed.

Gwaine grabbed Merlin's arms by the wrist and held them down so he wouldn't hurt himself. He held his arms until his fit calmed down.

"Will he be okay?"

"The spell will stick until he feels safe," Gaius sighed.

"How do we-"

"Talk to him. Try and get him to listen. It won't be easy," Gaius said, holding onto one of Merlin's hands, rubbing the back of it with his thumb.

Arthur nodded and sat down. Another fit began.

"No."

_"You lied to me! You're a sorcerer!" Arthur yelled._

_"No, Arthur, please just listen-"_

_"No! You have betrayed me. You will be set aflame on the pyre for your actions."_

"Please, anything but the pyre!" Merlin sobbed.

Arthur tensed.

"He's scared of the pyre?" Arthur asked to no one in particular.

Lancelot tensed.

"Sire-"

"It's okay, Gaius. I know Camelot's old ways were scary, but surely he must know I'd never do that to him," Arthur explained

"Please," Merlin sobbed in a broken voice.

"Merlin, listen to me. I'd never do that you, I'd never hurt you." Arthur tries to get through to him.

_"Merlin, listen to me."_

_Merlin looked up, surprised at the sudden softness in Arthur's voice._

_His tone changed again, resuming his rage._

_"I hate you," Arthur seethed. "I'm going to watch you burn."_

"No! No! Please!" Merlin shrieked, curling into a ball.

Arthur backed away from Merlin with a frown.

"Let me try," Gwaine said, replacing Arthur's place by Merlin's bedside.

Gwaine gently held Merlin's hand, and took in a shakey breath.

"Merlin? Hey it's me. You're safe with me, alright?" Gwaine soothed.

Merlin suddenly shot up and hugged Gwaine, momentarily startling him before he returned the hug.

"Merls?"

_"Gwaine," Merlin sighed._

_He had heard Gwaine's speech perfectly in dream form, and threw himself into his arms to seek some type of comfort._

_"Please don't let them burn me," Merlin whimpered._

Gwaine's heart shattered at how broken Merlin's voice became.

"He's still asleep," Elyan whispered.

"You're safe with me, Merlin," Gwaine softly spoke.

Merlin seemed to gain a sliver of consciousness and lifted his head.

"What?" His hazy eyes looked up, but as soon as he spotted Arthur his eyes glazed over again, and he began sobbing.

Gwaine glared over his shoulder to the king.

"What did you do to him?" Gwaine accused.

Lancelot shuffled uneasily. The knights looked to Arthur with either accusing eyes or disbelief.

"I didn't do anything to him," Arthur replied, his voice breaking.

Merlin was scared of him.

And then Merlin went eerily quiet, his sobs no longer present.

Elyan kneeled down next to Merlin and gently brushed through his hair.

"Merlin, you have to wake up. Come on, Merlin. You're strong, you can do this," Elyan urged.

Merlin turned his head to Elyan, eyes unseeing.

"Kill me," Merlin whispered.

Elyan froze.

"What?"

"Please. It would be better than burning," Merlin murmured, a single tear falling down his cheek.

"Oh, Merlin," Elyan spoke, gently wiping the tear away.

A few quiet and tense moments passed before Merlin started thrashing.

Leon stepped forward this time, gently but firmly holding Merlin against his chest to keep him from accidentally hitting himself.

In return, Merlin started punching Leon's chest.

"Shhh, Merlin. Calm down. You're going to hurt yourself. I just want to help," Leon said, releasing his grip just a bit to show Merlin he meant no harm.

Merlin stopped resisting and and melted against Leon.

Leon felt his muscles relax in relief.

"Hey, Merlin. Let's get you out of here, hm?"

Merlin nodded.

"You're safe. I've got you. No need to worry," Leon continued, gently rubbing Merlin's back.

"You're not mad at me?" Merlin asked.

"Of course not," Leon replied with no hesitation.

"Thank you Leo-" Merlin cut himself off with a choke.

"Merlin?"

_The guards dragged Merlin away from Leon, dragging him down the halls. Merlin pleaded and cried. He did not want to burn._

"Leon! Help me!" Merlin sobbed, desperately clutching Leon's tunic.

Leon felt helpless watching Merlin go into another fit of tears.

"I'm trying, I'm trying," Leon ignored his cracking voice.

Leon held the sides of Merlin's head, trying to get him to see. Merlin's eyes were glazed over, turning them a shade light shade of grey.

"I'm trying," Leon said again desperately.

Merlin continued to sob. Leon retreated from his spot on Merlin's bed, laying him back down. Leon turned his back to everyone to wipe the tears that had fallen.

And then screams began.

Merlin would not stop thrashing and screaming and sobbing. He was too pained to even say anything.

Gaius frantically put a new cool rag on him.

"He's heating up!" Gaius exclaims.

Everyone in the room tensed. They knew what he was dreaming of. The pyre.

_The smoke was suffocating and his skin attempted to recoil at the heat. The pain was undescribable. The smell was even worse._

_His throat was raw from his screams and his tears provided no more relief from the heat._

_"Merlin!"_

Lancelot put his hands onto Merlin's face, yelling over his screams.

"Merlin I'm here! I'm here. It's okay. I know. I would never let this happen to you, you hear me?"

Merlin's screaming lessened.

"That's it Merlin. You don't have to hide around me, remember? You are completely safe by my side, all of you," Lancelot continued.

The knights stared in confusion. All of Merlin? Hiding?

"Lancelot?"

"Yes it's me, Merlin. Now do what you need to do. You're under a nightmare spell."

"Safe?"

Lancelot looked up at the knights and hesitated. He looked down at the sword on his hip. If worst comes to worst, he'd know what to do.

"Safe," Lancelot replied.

Merlin grabbed Lancelot's wrists, steeling himself. The grey in his eyes faded and sparkling gold took over.

Lancelot kept his hands on Merlin's cheeks, waiting for him to too.

Merlin blinked slowly, adjusting to his surroundings.

"Lancelot!" Merlin smiled and moved to hug him.

Lancelot laughed and hugged back, petting the back of Merlin's head.

"Welcome back, Merlin."

Gwaine quickly joined the hug, startling Merlin.

Merlin pulled back and turned to see the rest of the knights. He tensed.

"Did they-" Merlin cut himself off looking back to Lancelot then back to the group of knights.

Merlin shuffled off the bed and stood behind Lancelot, an action not unnoticed by anyone in the room.

Gaius walked forward to stand behind Merlin. Gwaine, gave his most comforting smile to Merlin, nodding at him before looking back to the rest of the knights.

The two groups stared at each other, waiting for the other to make a move with mulling tension in the air.

Percival quickly moved to the opposite side of the room to Merlin, ruffling his hair. Merlin chuckled despite the tension.

Elyan quickly followed, pulling Merlin into a hug.

Arthur and Leon still stood stunned on the other side of the room. Leon's face morphed into a confusion, before finally a smile.

Leon moved over to Merlin and gave him a smile.

"See? Not angry," Leon smiled.

Merlin smiled back, giving Leon a quick hug.

Everyone turned back to Arthur, who seemed to be having a dilemma.

Arthur unsheathed his sword, causing the other knight's to quickly draw theirs. Merlin's face fell.

Arthur put a hand up in surrender and slowly put his sword on the ground. A few of the knight put away their swords, the other simply lowered theirs.

"Merlin," Arthur began. "I could never do that to you, and I'm sorry I've never proved myself worthy in that aspect," Arthur spoke as he got closer to Merlin.

"I will never hurt you."

Arthur stopped right in front of the shield the knights had made in front of Merlin.

"Okay?" Arthur asked.

Merlin tapped Lancelot. Lance scooted over and Merlin shuffled forward.

Merlin stared into Arthur eyes for a few moments, before nodding.

"Okay."

Arthur sighed in relief, closing his eyes. He attempted to will his tears away, but wasn't very successful. When he opened them again, a single tear fell.

Merlin gave a teary smile and pulled Arthur into a hug. Arthur returned it in full.

Soon enough, the hug turned into a group hug as the knights and Gaius joined in.

They all nearly jumped out of their skin when the door opened.

Gwen stood at the door with a confused expression. She slowly walked in, eyebrow raising after seeing her husband willingly participate in a group hug.

"What did I miss?"

**Author's Note:**

> ❤️comments and kudos appreciated ❤️


End file.
